Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1887-06-23

3@ tiful "Gem of the
9EsSsM~ Antilles as if she
indeed loved that fairest of all fair
quarters of our globe. At that season
the sun is always hot in these attitudes;
but it is often tempered by cool and
salubrious breeze from the Gulf. So it
was upon this day. Many umbrellas
were raised in the vast throng of which
we are to speak to ward off the burn
ing rays of the sun; but the air was
30 cooled by the sea breeze that crept up
the harbor, past frowning walls and
shotted guns of grim Moro Castle, and
through almost every quarter of the
city that the great concourse did not
seem to feel the heat
The great square, surrounded by
white-walled buildings, and variegated
with great palm-trees and tropical
plants, was favorite resort of almost
all classes of Havana after sunset, when
the fiery heats of the day were over.
But it was yet many hours to sunset.
Whoever came out at this hour and
fingered about the Paseo must have
good reason for it-some other reason
beside mere idle Longing and chatting.
1t seemed as if every class in the
great city had contributed its quota
to swell this crowd. Swarthy Spanish
military officers, in snowy uniforms
and gold lace; at least two regiments
of soldiers, with neat uniforms and &C
couterments, and shining muskets and
bayonets; hidalgos of Spain, with their
families, carefully fenced away from the
throng; negroes and mulattoes of both
sexes. by the thousand; native Cubans,
dark and swarthy, and hardly to be
distinguished from the Spaniards, sail
ors by the hundreds from ships in the
harbor, representing every nation that
had canvas upon the high seas, and
not few Americans and Englishmen,
either permanent residents of the city,
or temporarily there. All these classes
made up such a crowd as the Paseo had
never seen before. Indeed, the place
was crowded to repletion. The dusky
Senoritas who came in their great cum
brous uolantes, with negro bestriding
the animal in the shafts. and who were
eager to see the spectacle. exclaimed
with dismay at the throng, and ordered
their drivers to 60 up close to the build
ings, where they would be out of the
press. The hundreds of windows look
ing out upon the TAseo, barred and I'M
glazed, after the Spanish fashion, were
filed with eager faces and dark eyes;
and for hours Cuban women stood
there, intent to see the spectacle that
was shortly to take place
bod
been made for this event. A large
pine-board platform, without flags
drapery or decorations. had been erect
ed in the middle of the Paseo. A few
rough wooden steps led up to it. Upol
the platform was q curious uprigh
machine, with lever behind it and
rude chair in front of it. Around TIT
platform, and close up to it, the sol
oilers were massed. Back of them, fdl
ing all the space away to the walls o
the houses that inclosed the square
was the great concourse of people.
All knew what was about to occur
and the solemnity of the occasion hushe'
the multitude to silence. But here AM
there throughout the crowd there wa
q low murmur of conversation, hardl
loud enough to be noticed from tn
platform, which was soon filled wit
the actors in the dreadful tragedy
These murmured talks were of cours
mainly in the Spanish language; an
the following, which was overhear
and translated to me by an American
will serve as . fair sample OF tt
whole:
ga bad mana vile honbre."
"Ah YES, maleditto! and our illu
trious and noble Captain-Gener
Concha does well to sulnmarily ex
cute him. What sayest thouP"
s.Bueuo! I was born in Old Castil
and hate the Americanos, who a
ALWAYS plotting and conspiring
wrest our fair Cuba from us. b
what has become of this fellows col
patriots?"
.What-dost not knowp Fifty-ty
of the cut-throats were taken just OF
side the walls and shot Two hundr
more, at least, are in our dungeon
and hope the same may happen
them"
The other gave an emphatic gestu
OF assent, anu WAS JuS> escoNS " -,
some reply, when procession OF
least two dozen persons passed
tween two long ranks of soldiers w
.houldered muskets, assembled
steps, and filled the platform. The
were more than dozen guards; INT
were several officers representing
Captain-General, so brilliant with Tn
gaudy uniforms that they looked
= pageant; there was priest /"
somber robes and look; and there
one man in civilians dress, who
stant2y riveted upon himself the att
ton of the thousands of spectators.
.Ah!-now you see hinr'-said
Of the Spaniards whom we just n
left whispering together. "Dest
him, senora hate him and his tn
but, to give Satan his due. he IS DC
looking fellow. :.
..Who-the man not in uniform
s4The same. See his brown face;
ras born in Venezasls. they say. !